Wikipedia Abstract

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the baleen whales (Mysticeti). At up to 30 metres (98 ft) in length and with a maximum recorded weight of 173 tonnes (191 short tons) and probably reaching over 181 tonnes (200 short tons), it is the largest animal ever known to have existed.

Endangered Species

EDGE Analysis

The largest mammal ever known to have existed. The species is thought to feed almost exclusively on krill (small, shrimp-like crustaceans). In the summer feeding areas, individuals may consume as much as 4 tonnes of krill each day. Blue whales have the deepest voice of any animal, and their vocalizations carry for thousands of miles underwater, allowing them to communicate across vast oceans at frequencies below the range of human hearing. For centuries the blue whale was safe from exploitation because of its sheer size and speed. However, the species was driven to the brink of extinction following the development of modern whaling techniques.